My Ten Rules for Maker Businesses

Based in large part on our experience here at DIY Drones, I've written "Ten Rules For Maker Businesses", which has been serialized on the Ponoko blog this week in the lead up to their announcement of adding 3D printing to their service. Here they are (click on each for the full text of each one):

Interesting view of making business. Some deep thinking also. As an end-user, of course, I did not liked 2,3 multiplexer (I would prefer some 1.4 -1.6), but if I have bought APM, that means your price was almost right. (Both parts – seller and buyer must feel little disappointment).
One thing I would like to suggest is to put more efforts in rapid software development. Some financing of core developers would be good also. Do not announce new product while the previous the software is not ready.

Always the roadblock of our entrepreneurial dreams. Unless you've got a huge amount of someone else's money to invest, you're not going to do better than a savings account or a day job.

"#1 Make a profit."

Maker businesses remind us of VA Linux, Linuxcare, Loki when they were private. Huge sales, open source everything ... except the balance sheet. The makers we've seen in the last 15 years have either not charged 2.3x or charged way beyond the cost of buying the next best thing from Walmart. They always said it was publicity for their next product which would then make money.

"#5 You get no leeway for being a maker."

Users have always expected the same support as a commercial product for free.